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From bridges that span our waterways to neighborhood parks – for nearly 30 years, the Penny for Pinellas has supported investments in areas that matter most to our Citizens: faster travel with 68 new lane miles, 16 major roads with added lanes, and rebuilt bridges; safer communities with more than 20 fire and emergency facilities built or renovated, and more than 150 projects to enhance our stormwater systems and flood control; and protection of natural resources with hundreds of acres of land preserved, upgrades to 21 parks and more than 50 new miles of multiuse trails.

It is and was illegal to use the 1% optional sale tax to pay off debt. But our County Commission did just that. They paid off the debt on the Park Blvd. bridge. Old timers remember the toll booths at that bridge. Some would say, so what, I'm saying the promises made were never kept and the money misused. How do you property owners like the current additional tax on your property for storm water run off? That too was promised to be funded by the 1% optional sale tax. Lastly, how many people know who bought the bonds that were floated to fund the original projects? Yes, the County hired a Jacksonville investment firm to issue bonds to fund the early projects because the County couldn't wait for the tax money to come in. I guess there weren't any Pinellas firms capable of handling the County's bond program. The money that has been spent on personal projects of the County Commission and City officials is astounding. It is not a penny tax, its a 1% optional sale tax.